How freshwater works
In the past, Lake Hachiro was connected to the Sea of Japan through the Funakoshi Canal.
Due to tidal changes and weather conditions, seawater would flow into the lake, creating brackish water where saltwater and freshwater mixed.
This brackish water was a distinctive feature of Lake Hachiro.
However, water with salt content couldn’t be used for irrigation.
To address this, construction was carried out to artificially increase the flow of the Funakoshi Canal, and tide gates were built to prevent seawater from entering the lake.
The opening and closing of these tide gates are fully managed through remote control at the Southern Pumping Station.